The Road Less Traveled
by TheLovelyWords
Summary: Pregnant with her second child, Bloom becomes fairly introspective about her life thus far.


**Title:** "The Road Less Traveled"

**Author:** AngelusMortuis

**Summary:** Pregnant with her second child, Bloom becomes fairly introspective about her life thus far.

Youthful enthusiasm only lasted for so long and by the time Bloom was pregnant with her second child she could feel the pressures of her life beginning to press in upon her. The nurse ha said it was the hormones talking to her and she'd be feeling like herself in again in no time, but that did little to sway to little niggling doubts that were beginning to claw that the back of her mind. She had been twenty-two when she'd gotten married, only a few years younger than her mom back on earth. If she had been raised a princess, the marriage would probably have been arranged shortly after she was born and the wedding would have taken place almost immediately after she'd graduated. No, this had been her own choice. She had rushed in and was now free to regret at her own leisure.

It wasn't as if she didn't love Sky. She still loved him desperately, but she had started to wonder what her life would have been if she hadn't married the first boy she'd ever dated seriously. She'd dated once before back on earth. It had been awkward and filled with the charming innocence that first loves were often wrought with. Her first kiss had been a sloppy mess and they'd never been able to quite work out how to hold hand properly.

Sky had come like a dream, waking her up from the haze of her former life and solidifying her desire to want to continue her progress through the world of magic. It had been her dream to be a fairy, everything else had been extra. The whole princess situation had turned out to be more than she'd bargained for and queen was even more stressful. Her daughter, Leigh, was a dream, polite and cheerful with boundless energy that was sure to run her into the ground one day. From an outsider's view things must have looked perfect, but Bloom couldn't shake the growing doubts.

What if she hadn't started dating Sky? Would he have continued to pursue her or would have married Diaspro with no argument? Where would she be now? Ruling Domino perhaps? Would she be married to someone else? Would she be feeling so empty inside, regretful of all the things that she didn't get to do, all the things her friends were off doing right now?

Bloom cast a mournful look over at the pictures on the mantle of the fireplace. There were old photos mixed in with the new. Tecna's bright pink hair caught her eye first. Tecna had taken a teaching job at Alfea; Applied Science and Magical Functions she had called it as she gushed excitedly about it over lunch one afternoon. Tecna hadn't married Timmy like Bloom had expected. In fact Musa hadn't married Riven either. Stella had married Brandon, though that was hardly surprising. A princess was expected to marry early after all. Bloom wondered if Stella was having these same doubts. _No_, she thought. _She's too busy with politics and her children_. Stella had always been sure, very sure about everything and marriage was something she didn't take lightly. She would work hard at it, desperate to not become like her own parents. Flora and Helia weren't married either, now that Bloom thought about it.

Roxy had disappeared back to earth fairly quickly, on a crusade to save the rainforests as she had put it. Layla was still unattached for the most part. She'd never quite gotten over Nabu and had fought tooth and nail not to be forced into an arranged marriage. She was queen of Andros now, unwed and single. Bloom envied that. Maybe she could have done the same if she hadn't been so damned and determined to marry Sky as quickly as she could.

Bloom ran a hand over the small bump on her stomach. Her second child would come into the world safe and loved. The baby would probably never know about her doubts and regrets. Perhaps this was normal. Perhaps all adults went around wishing that their lives had somehow come out differently, wondering what was waiting for them down paths they hadn't taken.

Instead Bloom had taken the easy route and marrying Sky had been easy. It was something that had never been questioned. The biggest fight they're really had was over Diaspro and even then Sky had come back apologizing with soft words and warm caresses. She had taken him back. Of course she had taken him back. Not having him meant she would be hurting something awful and it was easier to just accept the apology. She didn't have to think about it. She could just go one and hate Diaspro and love Sky and let her life just happen.

The easy route. Even with all that she'd been through, she'd still taken the easy route. When there was a gray area she'd start to crack. Things were so much easier when there was a clear enemy, a clear danger, something to fight for and to fight against with none of that silly ambiguity. It was the introspective parts, the quiet when she had time to think about things that her life got complicated.

With a sigh, Bloom rose from her sitting position on the bed and drifted out of the bedroom and into the hall. Perhaps she would visit her family back on Earth. Maybe seeing her parent's loving marriage would make her work a bit harder on her own and chase away those pesky doubts that were getting in the way of her happily ever after.


End file.
